Mail box signal apparatus



March 20, 1962 c. c. HANSON MAIL BOX SIGNAL APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed May '7, 1959 muui INVENTOR. Chester C. Hanson Attorney March 20,1962 c. c. HANSON MAIL BOX SIGNAL APPARATUS Filed May 7, 1959 2Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

Chester C. Hanson BY g3 Attorney 3,026,025 7 V MAEL BOX SIGNAL APPARATUSChester C. Hanson, Paio Alto, Calif.

(327 Marie, lvfanteca, Calif.) Filed May 7, 1959, Se -(No. 811,573 2Claims. (Cl. 231-35) 'filed application, Serial No. 747,074, filed July7, 1958,

now abandoned.

Heretofore rural mail box signals have been proposed which contemplatedthe use of a quadrant shaped flag pivotably supported at one corner ofthe quadrant from and externally of the rear of the box. The flag wascaptured in a raised position by engagement of a hook, carried'by theflag, with a rod slidably extending lengthwise of the box. The rod wasadapted to be retracted upon opening of the mail box door therebyreleasing the fiag and letting it swing to a lowered position.

In this prior art device the flag was pivoted at the lower corner of themail box and therefore when the flag was in the lowered position itextended below the level of the box exposing it to various hazards suchas wind damage, and inadvertent bending by coming in contact withpersons and objects moving about the box. Attempts were made to minimizethese hazards by including a housing which enveloped the flag in theraised position and by the provision of a wire guard which partiallyprotected the flag in the lowered position.

Moreover, because of the eccentric pivoting of the quadrant shaped flag,a lower flag stop had to be provided to engage the catch of the flag toprevent it from swinging to a position where it protruded laterally ofthe box thereby exposing the flag to additional undesired hazards.

The present invention provides a novel indicating apparatus which ispivoted centrally of the end of the mail box thereby utilizing theprotection of the box itself for the flag and avoiding the necessity ofproviding a separate housing, guard and stop. In this manner theelements are simplified and the construction and cost of the apparatusminimized.

The object of the present invention is to provide a novel indicatingapparatus especially useful with rural mail boxes and which is simple ofconstruction and relatively inexpensive.

One feature of the present invention is the provision of a novelindicating flag pivotably mounted centrally of the end of the mail boxwhereby the box affords considerable protection for the flag fromcertain hazards such as, for example, wind and inadvertent bending.

Another feature of the present invention is the provision of a novelindicating flag having a tab extending outwardly of the flag forengagement with a rod slidably mounted upon the mail box and 'said flagbeing pivoted about a point thereon such that in 'the raised positiongravity alone holds the tab in engagement with the slidable rod wherebysetting of the flag is readily facilitated.

Another feature of the present invention is the provision of a hub onthe pivotable flag, said'hub assuring proper tracking of the flag.

Another feature of the present invention is the provision of a novelflag actuating 'rod assembly for use with mail boxes of differentlengths without need for special adjustment.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent upon a'perusal of the specification 3,025M25 Patented Mar. 20,1%62 taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal cross sectional view of a rural mail boxincorporating the novel feature of the present invention,

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged foreshortened 'crosssectional view ofthestructure-of FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 3 is an end view of the structure of FIG- URE 1 taken along-line33 in the direction of the arrows,

FIGURE 4 is an end View of the structure of FIG- URE 1 taken along line33 in the direction of the arrows showing the flag in the lowerposition,

FIGURE 5 is a detail view of a portion of the structure of FIGURE 2takenalong line 5'5 in the direction of the arrows,

FIGURE 6 is a foreshortened longitudinal cross sectional view of-a mailbox including features-of'the present invention, and

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged detailed fragmentary sectional view of theself-adjusting flag actuating rod assembly of FIGURE 6.

Referring now to the figures, there is shown a rural mail box 1 having ahollow inverted -U-shaped sheet metal cover 2 fixedly closed at one endvia a sheet metal wall 3. An inverted sheet metal channel 4 closes offthe open side of the cover 2 to form the floor of the mail box "1. Thechannel 4 is fixedly secured to the side walls of the cover 2 via aplurality of rivets 5. A hinged door 6 closes off the open end of themail box 1.

An indicating flag 7, preferably formed in a quadrant shape, is pivotedsubstantially at the inner corner of the quadrant at a central positionof the end closing wall 3. By pivoting the flag 7 from a centrallocation at the rear of the mail box 1 the flag 7 is protected from winddamage and is less likely to be inadvertently contacted by personsmoving about the box which might otherwise result in bending of theflag.

A tab 8 extends radially from the flag quadrant 7 for engaging the endof a retractable rod '9 protruding from an aperture in the end wall 3.The rod 9 is slidably mounted longitudinally of and preferably adjacentthe top inside surface of the cover 2. The rod 9 is carried'withinaligned openings in a U shapedbracket 11 which is fixedly carried fromthe inside surface of the cover 2 substantially at the open end thereofvia, for example, a pair of nuts and bolts 12.

A compression spring 13 is captured between one leg of the bracket 11and an annular spring retainer 14 carried at the end of the rod 9. Thespring retainer 14 may comprise, for example, a washer or a flaredportion of the rod 9. For the latter case, the rod 9 is preferablyhollow. The spring 13 serves to urge the rod 9 outwardly of the open endof the mailbox 1.

A rod stop 15 is carried upon the rod 9 for engage ment with the otherleg of the bracket 11 to prevent the rod 9 from extending an excessivedistance outwardly of the mail box 1 when the door 6 is opened. The rodstop 35 may comprise, 'for example, a cotterpin captured to properlyspace the head 18 of a bolt 19 from awasher abutting the end wall 3 suchthat the hub 16 of the flag 7, which is thereby captured on the sleeve,is allowed to freely rotate without binding. The hub 16 assures that theflag 7 will 'trac'kprop'erly in its rotation about the bolt U.

The bolt 19 extends through a central opening in the tion. .flagactuating rod assembly which is utilized with mail boxes of differinglength without special adjustment durend wall 3 and is held therein by anut 22 and lock washer 23 on the inside of the mail box 1.

In operation the owner of the mail box 1, after collecting the mail,resets the novel mail indicating flag 7 by first closing the hinged door6. In closing the door 6 the rod 9 is extended outwardly of theapertured end wall 3 and spring 13 is compressed. The indicating flag 7is then rotated until the tab 8 engages the extending end of theretractable rod 9.

The tab 8 remains in engagement with the rod 9 solely because of gravityforces occasioned by the eccentric manner in which the flag 7 ispivoted. Upon deposit of mail the door 6 is opened thereby retractingthe rod 9 and allowing the flag 7 to freely swing about the pivot to thelowered position. Since the flag 7 is visible from a substantialdistance and since the back of the mail box .usually faces the residenceof the owner the lowered position of the flag 7 may be readilyascertained without er 2. The rod 20 protrudes through a suitableopening 24 in the door 6 when the door 6 is closed. Upon opening of thedoor 6, for deposit of mail, the rod is retracted and the flag 7 freelyswings to the lowered position.

It has been found that different rural mail box manufacturers make theirmail boxes of different length. There has been found to be a variance inlength of about an inch depending upon the manufacturer; Therefore, itis desirable to have a flag actuating rod 9 that can be utilized withany one of a number of different mail boxes Without requiring specialadjustment of the rod 9 upon installation thereof.

Accordingly, referring now to FIGURE 6 there is shown an alternativeembodiment of the present inven- More specifically, there is shown aself adjusting ing installation. A flag actuating rod 25 is provided atone end witha fixedly attached extension 26 having a portion of itslength recessed at 27 to ride in slidable engagement Within a centrallyapertured end closing wall 28 of an externally flanged sleeve 29. Therecessed portion 27 of rod extension 26 is made slightly longer than theanticipated difference in mail box length to permit sufficientretraction of the rod assembly for the shortest boxes and the overalllength of the rod 25 plus exten sion 26 is made long enough toaccommodate the longest expected mail box. The sleeve 29 is fixedlysecured to the end closing wall 3 of the mail box 1 via nut 31 threadedover the externally threaded end portion of sleeve 29 which protrudesthrough an opening in the end closing wall 3.

As an example of the operation of the self-adjusting rod assembly,assume that the over-all length between the front door 6 and the rearwall 3 of the longest expected mail box is 36 inches in length. Theactuating rod as sembly, including portions 25 and 26, would then bedesigned to have an over-all length of approximately 36% inches suchthat when the front door 6 was closed, the rod extension 26 would extendA of an inch outwardly from the outside surface of end wall 3 to engagethe rotatable quadrant flag 7. Assume the sleeve 29 is 2 inches inlength and that the nonrecessed portion of the rod extension 26 is 2inches long such that when the door opens, the extension portion 26 willfully retract into the sleeve 29 and permit the flag 7 to rotate to thelower position. Assume also that the recessed portion 27 of the recessedportion 27 of the actuating rod is 1% inches in length such that thereis approximately 1 /2 inches of the recessed portion of the rod 27extending outwardly of the sleeve 29 when the door 6 is closed. Uponopening of the door 6, spring 32 forces rod 25 outwardly of the frontdoor 6 of the box 1 moving the nonrecessed portion of rod extension 26against the end wall of sleeve 29 to retract the free end of the rodextension 26, allowing flag 7 to rotate. Now assume that the over-alllength of the box 1 has been shortened to 35 inches while the rod 25 androd extension 26, together with sleeve 29 have not changed indimensions. Now, when the door 6 is closed, for the 35 inch length box,the rod extension 26 will extend 1% inches outwardly of the box 1 fromthe end wall 3. This is a sufficient distance to engage the rotatingflag 7 and readily permits closure of the door 6. It will also be notedthat approximately /2 inch of the recessed portion 27 of the rodextension 26 remains outwardly of the sleeve 29 when a short box is usedand the door 6 is closed. On opening of the door 6, spring 32 forces therod 25 outwardly of the open end of the box 1 causing the rod extension26 to retract fully into the sleeve 29 and permit the flag '7 to rotateto the lowered position. Thus, it has been shown that the rod 25 withrod extension 26 is self-adjusting to boxes of substantially differentlength.

A compression spring 32 is carried externally of the sleeve 29 and iscaptured between the end closing wall 3 and a pin 33 and washer 34carried transversely of rod 25. The spring serves to bias the flagactuating rod 25 outwardly of the box 1 through the hinged door 6, whenthe door is opened, thereby retracting a protruding free end portion 35of the rod extension 26. When the rod extension 26 is retracted theindicating flag 7 drops by gravitational force to the lowered position.

The self adjusting rod assembly, in a preferred embodiment, is adaptedto serve the two fold purpose of a flag actuating rod 25 for both afront and back indicating flag installation. More specifically, thefront free end portion of rod 25 is provided with a transverse member 36as of, for example, a pin or washer fixedly secured to the rod 25 forengaging the inside surface of the front door 6, when the door isclosed, thereby allowing the free end portion of rod 25 to extendthrough a suitable aligned opening 37 in the door 6.

In closing the door 6, the free end portion of rod 25 protrudes throughopening 37 in the door 6 a desired distance, for engagement with thefront indicating flag 7, and then the door 6 picks up transverse member36 and slides the rod 25 lengthwise of the box 1. Further movement ofthe door 6 causes the free end portion 35 of rod extension 26 toprotrude from the rear wall 3 of the mail box 1 for engagement with therear indicating flag 7.

When the door 6 is opened, for deposit of mail, the rod 25 retractsuntil a shoulder 38 of rod extension 26 is stopped against closing wall28 of sleeve 29. The length of the sleeve 29 and the nonrecessed portionof rod extension 26 are approximately equal such that the free endportion 35 of rod extension 26 is fully retracted when rod extensionshoulder 38 strikes the sleeve closing wall 28 thereby allowing the rearindicating flag 7 to drop. Further opening of the front door 6 causesthe hinged door 6 to pull away from the front free end portion of therod 25 thereby allowing the front indicating flag 7 to drop.

Since many changes could be made in the above construction and manyapparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be madewithout departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all mattercontained in the above description and shown in the accompanyingdrawings shall be interpreted as illustrativ and not in a limitingsense.

What is claimed is:

1. A mail box signaling apparatus for use with mail boxes of variousdimensions including, a mail box, a hinged Wall adapted to be pulledopen for the deposit of mail within said mail box and serving to closeoff one end thereof, a fixed end wall closing 011 the other end of saidmail box, an external signaling flag pivotally mounted on one of saidend closing walls, a rod extending longitudinally of said mail box foractuation of said flag, a sleeve having a central opening thereinfixedly mounted from said fixed end closing wall and disposedcircumscriptive to said flag actuating rod that is slidabletherethrough, means provided on said sleeve for limiting the travel ofsaid flag actuating rod inwardly of said box, said means including amember projecting radially inwardly of the central opening in saidsleeve, means carried from said flag actuating rod for cooperativeengagement with said sleeve carried travel limiting means, said meanscomprising a shoulder on said flag actuating rod, a free end portion ofsaid flag actuating rod protruding from the surface of said end closingwall at which said signaling flag is mounted when said hinged wall isclosed, said signaling flag adapted to engage the protruding free endportion of said flag actuating rod for keeping said signaling flag inthe raised position when said hinged wall is closed, and means forautomatically retracting said protruding free end portion of said flagactuating rod out of engagement with said pivoted signaling flag uponopening of said hinged wall for the deposit of mail, whereby saidpivoted signaling flag is allowed to rotate to a lowered position.

2. A mail box signaling apparatus for use with mail boxes of variousdimensions including a mail box, a

hinged end wall adapted to be pulled open to gain access to said mailbox, a fixed end wall, an external signaling means pivotally mounted onone of said end walls, actuating means extending longitudinally of saidmail box for the actuation of said signaling means, tubular meansfixedly mounted on and extended from said fixed end wall and slidablyreceiving said actuating means, a limiting member mounted on saidtubular means for limiting the inward movement of said actuating means,a shoulder on said actuating means for cooperative engagement with saidlimiting member, a free end portion of said actuating means protrudingoutwardly of said fixed end wall when said hinged end wall is closed,whereby said signaling means will engage said free end portion tomaintain said signaling means in raised position and spring biasingmeans for automatically retracting said free end portion out ofengagement with said signaling means when said hinged end is opened toallow said signaling means to pivot to a lowered position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,562,536 Berg Nov. 24, 1925 1,627,617 Nordin May 10, 1927 1,973,020Smith Sept. 11, 1934 1,990,003 Schlenlcer Feb. 5, 1935 2,754,051Shellabarger July 10, 1956 2,807,410 Wand Sept. 24, 1957 2,812,130 AbellNov. 5, 1957

